3 Super Easy Golf Ball Hacks

Are these hacks? Or Upcycling, or Recycling, or whatever you call it...
Here are some super quick and easy things to do with old golf balls.

Each project really only takes a few minutes and basic tools.

What to do with buckets full of old golf balls?
Turn them into useful items!

Make great gifts.
Decor for the home or office.
Make cheap tools into better tools...

I tried to keep these ideas as simple as possible using the most basic of tools
As well as being super inexpensive.

You can find used golf balls for very little to free if you look around a bit.
The rest of the materials can be found at most dollar stores or craft stores.

Enjoy...

Turn a "cheap" screwdriver from a dollar store into a better and useful, palm sized screwdriver.

Materials:
1) Golf Ball - free
1) Screwdriver - $1 at dollar store

Tools:
Drill and drill bits
A way to measure the diameter of the metal insert
Clamp(s) / pliers or similar
Hammer (i used a "dead blow" hammer")

The first thing to do here was to cut off the rubber part of the handle.

Next put it into a clamp, vise or similar to work out the metal shaft.
I used my bench vise for this part.

This screwdriver is so poorly made I was able to bend the shaft back and forth until it easily came right out.

I used a sizing gauge to determine the proper drill bit to use.

In my case the size of screwdriver shaft is about 23/64".
Choose a one size smaller drill bit, which in this case was 11/32".

Get your drill ready with the appropriate bit.

Secure the golf ball in some way that will make it easy to hold on to.
I would not recommend to try and just hold it with your hand.

Drill your hole, top-dead-center, about 3/4 of the way through the ball.

Use a hammer, drive the screwdriver shaft into the ball.

It should be very snug.
If you don't have rubber mallet or dead blow hammer, protect the end of the shaft with something as you drive it in.

Once in the whole way, the rubber compound of the inside of the ball will hold it secure.
No glue needed.

Your new palm size screwdriver is ready to use!

Not only will adults appreciate these...
But kids love them because they are easier for them to grip than a regular size screwdriver.

And a magnet will make a golf ball stick to the fridge!
Quick and easy for less than a buck.

Materials:
1) Golf Ball - free
2) Flat round magnets - 6 for $1 at dollar store (about .16 cents each)

Tools:
Hacksaw (or similar with a medium/fine tooth blade)
Clamp or similar to hold the ball.
Hot glue gun.
Sandpaper (helpful but not required)

The magnets I purchased where the largest diameter to be found at the dollar store.
6 to a pack, mounted into a plastic "shell".

Need to get rid of the plastic...

Hammer time!

The easiest way I came up with was just to gently crack the plastic, with a hammer, until it could be pried apart by hand.

Remove the magnets and clean off any adhesive residue.

Cutting the Golf Ball in half.

For this I used a hacksaw with a medium toothed blade.
A coping saw could work as well.
Too fine of a blade just "gums" up with the rubber and goes nowhere.

You will also want a clamp of some sort to hold the ball.
It's practically impossible to hold it by hand and cut it.

If needed, mark a centerline around the perimeter.

You should be able to cut about one third the way through the ball before the clamp pressure squeezes the kerf onto the blade.
Rotate the ball a little and keep cutting around the perimeter.
When all that is left is a small center of the ball holding it together...
Remove it from the clamp and finish off the cut while holding the ball by hand.

Use some medium grit sandpaper...

Place the sandpaper on a flat surface and just rub the cut face of the ball back and forth until you get a nice smooth surface.
A little sanding around the edge will remove any plastic burrs and sharpness.

Place a large dab of hot glue onto the center of a magnet and press it firmly onto the back of the golf ball.

Repeat for the next.

You're done!

It probably takes longer to read this than it actually takes to make these.

A drawer or door pull!
All you need here is one, or several, golf ball(s) and an appropriately sized machine screw(s).

Materials:
Golf Ball(s)
Machine Screw(s) (a #8 size screw of appropriate length should work well)
Size the screw length to include the thickness of the drawer or door plus enough extra to go about 3/4 of the way into the golf ball.

Tools:
Drill and Drill Bits
Clamp
Surform or Rasp File
Screwdriver... oh, hey... we made one earlier!

First we need to "shave" a flat spot on the ball.

The easiest hand tool I found to do this is a flat surform.
A rasp type file could probably work as well.

Put the ball in some type of clamp or vise to hold it.
Start "shaving"...
Try to keep your tool at the same plane with each stroke to ensure a flat surface.

I determined, through a highly sophisticated scientific process...
that taking about 1/8" to 3/16" off was... good enough. ;)

Drill a hole about 3/4 of the way into the ball.

A 1/8" drill bit will be fine if you are using a #8 screw.
Or size accordingly for your screw.

Try to keep the hole centered and squared to the flat spot while you drill.

All that's left now is to screw the ball to the front of the drawer or door, or whatever.

We will assume your application (door, drawer, etc.) already has a hole drilled for a screw to go through.
Your screw should fit easily through this hole without the hole being too large.
If so, you may want to try a larger screw.
Or invest in a hole shrinker tool... Box stores carry them in the same aisle as the Snipe lure. ;)

Insert the screw, through the hole, from the backside of the panel.
Start threading the ball onto the screw by hand and finish tightening the screw with an appropriate screwdriver.
Oh, like the one we made in the first project.

When sufficiently tight rotate the ball to an angle that is aesthetically pleasing and...

Wait For It... you're done!

A few minutes and you have some new gadgets and gizmos!

I'll be back with some more fun golf ball projects for the next round....
Stay tuned!

Thanks for looking,
I look forward to reading your comments about these projects.